US4811050A - Apparatus for the forming of images with a cleaning device for a corona wire - Google Patents

Apparatus for the forming of images with a cleaning device for a corona wire Download PDF

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Publication number
US4811050A
US4811050A US07/108,592 US10859287A US4811050A US 4811050 A US4811050 A US 4811050A US 10859287 A US10859287 A US 10859287A US 4811050 A US4811050 A US 4811050A
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United States
Prior art keywords
image
corona wire
cleaning device
rotatable
brush portion
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US07/108,592
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English (en)
Inventor
Toru Tanjo
Toshio Yamanaka
Takahiro Wakikaido
Masaru Hatano
Nobuyuki Hirata
Kazuya Kamidaira
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Kyocera Mita Industrial Co Ltd
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Mita Industrial Co Ltd
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Assigned to MITA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., 2-28, 1-CHOME, TAMATSUKURI, HIGASHI-KU, OSAKA 540 JAPAN reassignment MITA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., 2-28, 1-CHOME, TAMATSUKURI, HIGASHI-KU, OSAKA 540 JAPAN ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: HATANO, MASARU, HIRATA, NOBUYUKI, KAMIDAIRA, KAZUYA, TANJO, TORU, WAKIKAIDO, TAKAHIRO, YAMANAKA, TOSHIO
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
    • G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
    • G03G21/1661—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus
    • G03G21/169—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus for the cleaning unit
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
    • G03G15/0258—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices provided with means for the maintenance of the charging apparatus, e.g. cleaning devices, ozone removing devices G03G15/0225, G03G15/0291 takes precedence
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
    • G03G15/0291—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices corona discharge devices, e.g. wires, pointed electrodes, means for cleaning the corona discharge device
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
    • G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
    • G03G21/1661—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus
    • G03G21/1671—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus for the photosensitive element
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1606—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for the photosensitive element
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1678—Frame structures
    • G03G2221/1684—Frame structures using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G2221/00—Processes not provided for by group G03G2215/00, e.g. cleaning or residual charge elimination
    • G03G2221/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts
    • G03G2221/1693—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements and complete machine concepts for charging

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for the formation of images, such as electrophotographic copying machines, laser beam printers, etc.
  • a corona charger that is used to charge the photosensitive drum of an electrophotographic copying machine with electricity generally makes use of a tugsten corona wire extended within a box-shaped shield box.
  • the box-shaped shield box has an opening for use in the corona charging, along the corona wire, so as to face the photosensitive drum, and corona charging takes place when high voltage is applied to the corona wire, resulting in a uniform charging of the photosensitive drum.
  • Si-type gas such as silane (SiH 4 ) contained in the surrounding gas form silicon compounds such as SiO 2 , etc.
  • a cleaning apparatus for the corona wire has disclosed by, for example, Japanese Laid Open Utility Model Publication No. 60-68557, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a corona charger that can be removed from the body of the cleaning apparatus, and a corona wire cleaning means is attached to the body of the cleaning apparatus.
  • the corona charger In order to clean the corona wire, it is necessary to remove the corona charger from the body of the cleaning apparatus.
  • the corona charger is fixed in place inside the body of the apparatus, so in such a case, the apparatus must be redesigned so that it is possible to remove the corona charger from the body of the apparatus so as to clean the corona charger.
  • the corona wire is sandwiched into a part of the cleaning means in order to clean the wire.
  • the apparatus for the formation of images of this invention which overcomes the above-discussed and numerous other disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art, comprises the body of the apparatus provided with a corona charger, in which a corona wire is strung along a charging opening of the corona charger, and an image-forming device that is installed in the body of the apparatus, the image-forming device being removable from the body of the apparatus along the corona wire.
  • the apparatus further comprises a cleaning device that is attached to the end portion of the image-forming device opposite to the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled out of the body of the. The cleaning device touches the corona wire through the charging opening when the image-forming device moves along the corona wire, and separates from the corona wire when the image-forming device is installed into the body of the apparatus.
  • the cleaning device is a brush comprising the body of the brush and brush portion fixed to the body, the brush portion being able to touch the corona wire.
  • the body of the cleaning device is attached to the end of the image-forming device opposite to the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled out of the body of the apparatus.
  • the brush portion of the cleaning device is flexible and is bent by pressure by a fixed means of the body of the apparatus at the time when the image-forming device is installed into the body of the apparatus, thereby separating from the corona wire.
  • the body of the cleaning device is movably attached to the end of the image-forming device opposite to the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled out of the body of the apparatus.
  • the body of the cleaning device is disposed within a box fixed to the end of the image-forming device so that it is pushed by a spring so as to permit the brush portion of the cleaning device to touch the corona wire.
  • the body of the cleaning device is guided by a guiding device in the direction opposite to that of the force of the spring when the image-forming device is installed into the body of the apparatus, which causes the separation of the brush portion of the cleaning device from the corona wire.
  • the body of the cleaning device is attached to a rotatable device, as one piece, which is disposed on the end of the image-forming device so as to be rotatable in a circular arc or around its axis.
  • the rotatable device can rotate at right angles to the corona wire.
  • the rotatable device comprises a rotatable part that is made in one piece with the body of the cleaning device, and a sliding plate that is engaged with the rotatable part so as to be able to slide in the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled from the body of the apparatus. The sliding of the sliding plate results in the rotation of the rotatable part.
  • the sliding plate is pushed by the spring so that the brush portion of the cleaning device touches the corona wire when the image-forming device is pulled from the body of the apparatus.
  • the rotatable plate slides in the direction opposite to that of the force of the spring so that the brush portion of the cleaning device separates from the corona wire when the image-forming device is installed into the body of the apparatus.
  • the rotatable device rotates in a circular arc or around its axis in the plane that includes the corona wire.
  • the rotatable device rotates in a circular arc while touching the guide device disposed on the innermost portion inside of the body of the apparatus positioned in the direction opposite to the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled from the body of the apparatus.
  • the guide device is a guide rack, and the rotatable device has gears that are engaged with the rack.
  • the rotatable device is rotatable around its axis.
  • the cleaning device comprises the body of the cleaning device and brush portion that is radially fixed to the body of the cleaning device.
  • the rotatable device rotates while moving on a guide device disposed over the whole region of the charging opening of the charger.
  • the guide device is curved so that it is separated from the corona wire at the end of the body of the apparatus in the direction opposite to the direction in which the image-forming device is pulled from the body of the apparatus.
  • the rotatable device is guided by the guide device, and rotates.
  • the guide device is composed of guide racks, and the rotatable device is composed of pinion gears that are engaged with the guide racks.
  • a cleaning device is disposed in the region where the brush portion of the cleaning device rotates, whereby matters that has adhered to the brush portion is removed when the brush portions touches the cleaning device during its rotation.
  • the invention described herein makes possible the objectives of (1) providing an apparatus for the formation of images in which the image-forming device comprising at least one device selected from a developing apparatus, a photosensitive drum, and a cleaning apparatus can be installed into and removed from the body of the apparatus.
  • the image-forming device has a cleaning device that cleans the corona wire of the corona charger at the time of the removal of the device, so when the image-forming device is removed from the apparatus for a purpose such as the addition of toner, the removal of a paper jam, the repair of the cleaning apparatus, etc., the corona wire will inevitably be cleaned, so that a special operation in which the corona wire is cleaned is no longer necessary; (2) providing an apparatus for the formation of images in which the cleaning device is in the shape of a brush, so that there is no possibility of the corona wire being pulled, and therefore, there is no possibility that the corona wire be broken at the time of its cleaning; (3) providing an apparatus for the formation of the images in which when the image-forming device is installed into the body of the apparatus, the cleaning device is rotatable in a plane that includes the corona wire, or rotates along a plane at right angles to the direction in which the image-forming device is removed, so that the brush portion of the cleaning device does not touch the corona charger
  • FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the electrophotographic copying machine that is an image formation apparatus of this invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of that machine.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing th interior portion of that machine.
  • FIG. 4 is a back view showing the image-forming means of that machine.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of another machine of this invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A--A of FIG. 5.
  • FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another machine of this invention.
  • FIGS. 8 and 10 are diagrams showing the movement of a part containing the cleaning device of FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the decomposition of the part containing the cleaning device of FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10.
  • FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8.
  • FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing another image-formation apparatus of this invention.
  • FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a part of the apparatus of FIG. 13.
  • FIG. 15 is a side cross-sectional view showing the part of the apparatus of FIG. 13.
  • FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the movement of a part of the apparatus of FIG. 13.
  • FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 15 along line B--B.
  • FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing another image-forming apparatus of this invention.
  • FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the part containing the cleaning device of the apparatus shown in FIG. 18.
  • FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 19 along line C--C.
  • FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the movement of the part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 19.
  • the electrophotographic copying machine that is an image formation apparatus of this invention has, as shown in FIG. 1, an optical system 20 in the upper part, and a photosensitive drum 11 in the center area of the lower part.
  • the photosensitive drum 11 can rotate in the direction shown by arrow A, and a charging apparatus 30, containing a corona charger, is disposed above the drum 11.
  • the charging apparatus 30 has a corona wire 32 strung along the opening 31a that is provided inside shield box 31.
  • the charging apparatus 30 is installed in the copy machine so that the corona wire 32 is parallel to the central axis of the photosensitive drum 11.
  • the optical system 20 provided in the upper part of the copy machine, exposes the photosensitive drum 11.
  • a developing device 13 is disposed in the downstream direction of the rotation of the photosensitive drum 11 of the area exposed by the optical system 20.
  • Transcription-paper conveyance route 45 passes in the spaces between the photosensitive drum 11 and the transcription device 41 and between the photosensitive drum 11 and the separation device 42. Transcriptionpaper conveyance route 45 passes toward the fixing means 44 provided toward the side of the machine.
  • a cleaning apparatus 14 In the downstream direction of the rotation of photosensitive drum 11 of the separation device 42, there is a cleaning apparatus 14, and further downstream from that there is a discharging device 43.
  • the photosensitive drum 11, the developing device 13, and cleaning apparatus 14 are, as shown in FIG. 2, made into one unit as an image-forming unit 10, which can be moved along the axis of the photosensitive drum 11, that is, in the direction in which the corona wire 32 of charger 30 is strung.
  • an image-forming unit 10 can be removed from the machine.
  • the imageforming unit 10 comprises at least one of photosensitive drum 11, developing device 13, and cleaning apparatus 14.
  • a cleaning means 50 is fixed at the end of the image-forming unit 10 opposite to the direction in which the image-forming unit 10 is pulled out. Particularly, the cleaning means 50 is fixed to the side plate 10a of the photosensitive drum 11 as shown in FIG. 3.
  • the cleaning means 50 is a brush comprising, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body 50a of the brush and a flexible brush portion 50b fixed to the body 50. As shown in FIG. 3 by the lines with paired dots, when the image-forming unit 10 is being removed from the machine, the brush portion 50b passes through the opening 31a for corona charging of the charger 30 so as to touch the corona wire 32.
  • the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 is separated from the corona wire 32 of the charger 30, as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 3, and positioned at the innermost end of charger 30 in such a way that the brush portion 50b is curved by pressure by the wire support 33 that is insulated from the corona wire 32. Therefore, when corona wire 32 is charged with voltage and charges the photosensitive drum 11 with electricity, the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 is separated from the corona wire 32, and there is no risk that there will be a leak of electricity from the corona wire 32 to the photosensitive drum 11 via the cleaning means 50.
  • the image-forming unit 10 is positioned within the machine, and copy images are formed by the ordinary electronic copying processing. That is, a high voltage is applied to the corona wire 32 of the charger 30 so as to achieve a uniform electric charge of the photosensitive drum 11, and the electrically charged photosensitive drum 11 is exposed to an image of the manuscript by the optical system 20, so that a latent image is formed.
  • This laent image is developed witth toner by the developing apparatus 13.
  • the toner image is transcribed onto transcription paper that is conveyed along the transcription-paper conveyance route 45 by means of transcription device 41.
  • Thet transcribed transcription paper on which the toner image has been transcribed is separated from the photosensitive drum 11 by the separator device 42, and then the toner image is fixed onto the transcription paper by the fixing device 44 before being ejected to the outside of the machine. After the toner image has been transcribed, the remaining toner is cleaned from the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 by the cleaning apparatus 14.
  • the image-forming unit 10 When toner is being supplied to the developing device 13, the image-forming unit 10 is pulled in the direction of the axis of the photosensitive drum 11, and the brush portion 50b on the top of the cleaning means 50 at the end of the unit 10 opposite the direction in which the unit is pulled out touches the corona wire 32 of the charger 30, and is moved along the corona wire 32 in a direction parallel to the axis of the photosensitive drum 11, which causes the removal of silicon compounds, etc., from the corona wire 32.
  • the cleaning means 50 likewise, moves along the corona wire 32 so as to clean the corona wire 32. Then when the image-forming unit 10 is again installed into the machine, the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 is bent by the wire support 33 inside of the corona charger 30 so that they separate from the corona wire 32. Therefore, there is no risk that the corona wire 32 will leak electricity from the cleaning means 50 to the photosensitive drum 11.
  • the image-forming unit 10 is pulled from the machine, and each time the unit 10 is removed, the corona wire 32 is cleaned by the cleaning means 50.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 show another image-formation apparatus of this invention, in which a cleaning means 50 is disposed within a box 51 so that it can move up and down inside of the box 51.
  • the cleaning means 50 is held in the upward position by a pushing spring 52 inside of the box 51, projecting out of the opening formed in the top surface of the box 51.
  • a projection 50c provided so as to prevent the removal of the cleaning means 50 from the box 51. The projection 50c engages with the edge of the opening of the box 51 and prevents the cleaning means 50 from being removed.
  • a pair of guide plates 700 is fixed to the bottom of the wire supports 33 at the far side of the charger 30 as shown in FIG. 6.
  • the guide plates 700 are positioned with an appropriate space therebetween and the innermost portion of each guide plate 700 slants in the downward direction.
  • the body 50a of the cleaning means 50 is in contact with the guide plates 700 at their upper surfaces.
  • the cleaning means 50 touches the guide plates 700, the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 is positioned in the space between the guide plates 700, and when the image-forming unit 10 is inside of the machine, the cleaning means 50 is guided by both guide plates 700 to move in the downward direction, and the tip of brush portion 50b is separated from the corona wire 32. Then, when image-forming unit 10 is entirely inside of the machine, the tip of brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 no longer touches the bottom surface of the wire supports 33.
  • the cleaning means 50 is moved upward by the force of a pushing spring 52, while being guided upward by the guide plates 700. By this movement, the brush portion 50b is brought to touch the corona wire 32. Then, as the image-forming unit 10 is pulled away, the brush portion 50b comes into contact with the corona wire 32, cleaning it.
  • the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 comes into contact with the corona wire 32 to clean it.
  • the cleaning means 50 touches the guide plates 700.
  • the tip of brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 does not touch the charging device 30. For this reason, even when the image-forming unit 10 is installed in the machine, the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 is not bent by force, so its lifespan is considerably improved.
  • FIGS. 7-12 Another image-formation apparatus of this invention is shown in FIGS. 7-12, in which a rotatable means 6 is attached to the side plate 10a of the photosensitive drum 11 so that the rotatable means 6 can rotate at right angles to the corona wire, and it is attached as one piece to the cleaning means 50.
  • the rotatable means 6 has, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a rotatable part 60a, a sliding plate 61, and a guide plate 62.
  • the rotatable part 60a is made in one piece with body 50a of the cleaning means 50.
  • the rotatable part 60a has a hole 600a.
  • the sliding plate 61 can be moved in the direction in which the image-forming unit 10 is pulled (the direction in which the corona wire 32 is strung within the corona charger 30) via both the hole 100a of the side plate 10a of the drum 11 and the hole 600a of the rotatable part 60a.
  • the guide plate 62 functions to guide the sliding plate 61, so that it prevents the sliding plate 61 from rotating when the sliding plate 61 slides within the hole 100a of the side plate 10a.
  • the rotatable part 60a mentiond above is fixed so that it can rotate on the edge of the hole 100a of the side plate 10a.
  • Stoppers 60b are disposed on the edge of the hole 60a of the rotatable part 60a as one piece, and are engaged with the edge of the hole 100a of the side plate 10a so that the rotatable part 60a rotates within the hole 100a of the side plate 10a without separating from the side plate 10a while the sliding plate 61 is sliding.
  • One end 62a of the guide plate 62 is fixed with screw 66 on the end of the sliding plate 61, and the other end 62b is formed in the free end that passes hole 620 of the side plate 10a.
  • the sliding plate 61 has a spring 63, and by its spring force, the end 62a of the guide plate 62 that is fixed to the tip of the sliding plate 61 is always kept touching the rotatable part 60a.
  • the sliding plate 61 is made in a twisted shape so that ends of the sliding plate 61 in the sliding direction are at right angles to each other.
  • the rotatable part 60a turns in its center along the twisted shape of the sliding plate 61.
  • the image-forming unit 10 is pulled from its fixed position in the machine or while it is installed in a fixed position, as shown in FIG. 10, the sliding plate 61 is pushed out to its fullest extent from the back of the side plate 10a by the force of spring 63.
  • the rotatable part 60a permits the brush portion 50b of the cleaning means 50 to touch the corona wire 32 (FIGS. 10 and 11), so that the corona wire 32 is cleaned by the brush portion 50b.
  • FIGS. 13-17 show another image-formation apparatus of this invention, in which the cleaning means 50 is attached to a rotatable means 70.
  • the rotatable means 70 can rotate in the plane that includes the corona wire 32 of the corona charger 30.
  • the rotatable means 70 has, for example, gears on its outer perimeter, and the body 50a of the cleaning device 50 is attached to the rotatable means 70 as one piece.
  • the rotatable means 70 is supported by a support shaft 71 so as to be able to rotate.
  • the support shaft 71 is supported inside of brackets 72 that are attached to the side plate 10a of the image-forming unit 10.
  • the cleaning device 50 is engaged with one end of a coiled spring 74 supported by the support shaft 71.
  • the other end of the coiled spring 74 is engaged with the bracket 72, and pushes the cleaning device 50 in the upward direction.
  • the bracket 72 has a stopper 75 that controls the rotation of the cleaning device 50 in the upper direction caused by the force of the coiled spring 74, so that the cleaning device 50 can be at a fixed position on the upper part of the cut-out area 10b of the side plate 10a.
  • the cleaning device 50 is controlled in its rotation upward by the stopper 75. At this time, the cleaning device 50 has its brush portion 50b become almost perpendicular. The brush portion 50b touches the corona 32 of the charger 30 with its tip when the image-forming unit 10 is pulled out.
  • the bottom surface of a wire supporter 33 that is positioned at the innermost portion of the charger 30 is provided with a guide rack 80.
  • the rack 80 when the image-forming unit 10 is pushed inside of the machine, can be engaged with the gears of the rotatable means 70, and when the image-forming unit 10 is pushed further inside of the machine, the rotatable part 70 revolves because of this engagement.
  • the cleaning device 50 which is made as one piece with the rotatable means 70, moves downward, in oppostion to the force of the coiled spring 74, and its brush portion 50b, as shown in FIG. 16, is separated from the corona wire 32 so as to become horizontal.
  • the imageforming unit 10 is pulled in the direction of the axis of the photosensitive drum 11, and the rotatable means 70, which is engaged with the rack 80, moves on the rack 80, resulting in a movement of the cleaning device 50 in an upward direction. Then, as the image-forming unit 10 is pulled out, the gears of the rotatable means 70 separate from the rack 80, and the cleaning device 50 is revolved further upward direction by the force of coiled spring 74, and touches the stopper 75. By this, the tip of the brush portion 50b of the cleaning device 50 passes opening 31a of the shield box 31 of the charging device 30 so as to touch the corona wire 32. As the image-forming unit 10 is pulled out still more, the brush portion 50b moves along the corona wire 32, and by means of this movement, the brush portion 50b cleans the silicon compounds, etc., that are adhering to the corona wire 32.
  • the brush portion 50b of the cleaning device 50 touches the corona wire 32, cleaning it.
  • the gears of the rotatable means 70 that are attached to the innermost portion of the image-forming unit 10 are engaged with the rack 80 that is provided on the back interior surface of the machine.
  • the rotatable means 70 moves on the rack 80, which causes rotation of the cleaning unit 50, which is made in one piece with the rotatable means 70, in the downward direction in opposition to the force of the coiled spring 74, thereby achieving the separation thereof from the corona wire 32.
  • the body 50a of the cleaning device 50 is positioned outside of the image-forming unit 10 through the upper part of the cut-out area 10b of the side plate 10a of the image-forming unit 10, where the brush portion 50b is almost perpendicular and are positioned within the cut-out area 10b.
  • FIGS. 18-21 show another image-formation apparatus of this invention, in which to the side of the shield box 31 of the charger 30, there is a pair of guide racks 81 that are installed over the whole region of the charger 30.
  • Each rack 81 is parallel with the corona wire 32, and the racks 81 are curved in the downward direction so as to be separated from the corona wire 32 at the far inside surface of the body of the machine.
  • the side plate 10a is provided with a pair of pinion gears 91 that form a rotatable means and the cleaning device 50 that is formed in one piece with the pinion gears 91. Both pinion gears 91 are engaged with the racks 81 mentioned above.
  • Each pinion gear 91 is fixed at the supporting shaft 93, which is rotatably supported by a pair of plate springs 94 attached to the side plate 10a of the image-forming unit 10.
  • Each plate spring 94 extends from the side plate 10a to the back interior side of the machine.
  • the supporting shaft 93 is supported by these extensions of the plate spring 94. Both plate springs 94 push the supporting shaft 93 toward the charger 30.
  • each pinion gear 91 is supported by the side plate 10a so that it moves along the plane including the corona wire 32, and moves along the racks 81.
  • the cleaning device 50 is a rotating brush, which has a body 50a in the shape of a cylinder fixed to almost the central part of the supporting shaft 93 that faces the corona wire 32 through the charging opening 31a, and the flexible brush portion 50b that extends along the entire circumference of the body 50a.
  • the tip of the brush portion 50b touches the corona wire 32 through the charging opening 31a of the charger 30, and moves on the corona wire 32 by the rotation of the supporting shaft 93.
  • the side plate 10a of the image-forming unit 10 has, as shown in FIG. 20, a cut-out area 10b in the region where the pinion gears 91 rotate with the cleaning device 50.
  • the outside surface of the side plate 10a has a cleaning means 95 near the cut-out area 10b, which is placed so that the tip of the brush portion 50b touches the cleaning means 95.
  • the cleaning means 95 for example, felt can be used.
  • the tips of the brush portion 50b touch the cleaning means 95 during the rotation by the brush portion 50b of the cleaning device 50, which causes the cleaning of matter that has adhered to the said brush portion 50b.
  • the image-forming unit 10 When toner is replenished in the developing apparatus 13, the image-forming unit 10 is pulled out in the direction of the axis of the photosensitive drum 11, and the pinion gears 91 attached to the end of the image-forming unit 10 opposite to the direction of the pulling out rotate while touching the racks 81.
  • each pinion gear 91 reaches the innermost portion of the rack 81, it is pushed by the plate spring 94 so that it moves in the direction toward the charger 30.
  • the cleaning device 50 to which is attached the supporting shaft 93 that supports the pinion gears 91, also approaches the charger 30, and the brush portion 50b touches the corona wire 32 through the charging opening 31a.
  • the pinion gears 91 rotate while touching the racks 81, which causes the rotation of the support shaft 93, resulting in the rotation of the cleaning device 50. Because of the rotation of cleaning device 50, the brush portion 50b touches the corona wire 32, and cleans silicon compounds, etc., that have adhered to the corona wire 32.
  • the cleaning device 50 touches the corona wire 32 and cleans it. Then, when the side plate 10a of the image-forming unit 10 reaches the inner back side of the machine, the pinion gears 91 are guided by the curved racks 81 so as to be separated from the charging device 30, and rotate downward so as to be separated from the charging device 30; together with this movement, the cleaning device 50 is separated from the corona wire 32.
  • the cleaning device 50 is completely separated from the corona wire 32, and is in a place far from the charging region of the corona wire 32.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Electrostatic Charge, Transfer And Separation In Electrography (AREA)
US07/108,592 1986-10-15 1987-10-14 Apparatus for the forming of images with a cleaning device for a corona wire Expired - Lifetime US4811050A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP61-245117 1986-10-15
JP24511786 1986-10-15
JP61313889A JPH0760282B2 (ja) 1986-10-15 1986-12-26 画像形成装置
JP61-313889 1986-12-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4811050A true US4811050A (en) 1989-03-07

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ID=26537049

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US07/108,592 Expired - Lifetime US4811050A (en) 1986-10-15 1987-10-14 Apparatus for the forming of images with a cleaning device for a corona wire

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4811050A (de)
EP (1) EP0267689B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH0760282B2 (de)
KR (1) KR910003928B1 (de)
DE (1) DE3766691D1 (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5194897A (en) * 1990-11-27 1993-03-16 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus with charge wire cleaners
US5250991A (en) * 1991-05-24 1993-10-05 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus including cleaning means for cleaning charging means
US5485255A (en) * 1994-08-31 1996-01-16 Eastman Kodak Company Automatic cleaning mechanism for a corona charger using cleaning pad
US5563692A (en) * 1992-12-10 1996-10-08 Hyundai Electronics Ind. Co., Ltd. Automatic apparatus and method for cleaning a charge line
US5697019A (en) * 1994-12-27 1997-12-09 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Cleaning device of corona charging unit in image forming apparatus
US20040013443A1 (en) * 2000-11-08 2004-01-22 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Image forming device
US20070065172A1 (en) * 2005-09-16 2007-03-22 Xerox Corporation Cleaning system for removing dendrites from a charging device in a xerographic printer
US20080199208A1 (en) * 2007-01-24 2008-08-21 Schlitz Daniel J Method and device to prevent dust agglomeration on corona electrodes
US20120002999A1 (en) * 2010-06-30 2012-01-05 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming device having charging wire cleaning mechanism

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005045150A1 (de) 2005-09-22 2007-04-05 Basf Coatings Ag Verwendung von Phosphonsäurediestern und Diphosphonsäurediestern sowie thermisch härtbare Gemische, enthaltend Phosphonsäurediester und Diphosphonsäurediester
DE102005045228A1 (de) 2005-09-22 2007-04-05 Basf Coatings Ag Verwendung von Phosphonsäurediestern und Diphosphonsäurediestern sowie silangruppenhaltige, härtbare Gemische, enthaltend Phosphonsäurediester und Diphosphonsäurediester
DE102006024823A1 (de) 2006-05-29 2007-12-06 Basf Coatings Ag Verwendung von härtbaren Gemischen, enthaltend silangruppenhaltige Verbindungen sowie Phosphonsäurediester oder Diphosphonsäurediester, als Haftvermittler
DE102007014720A1 (de) 2007-03-23 2008-09-25 Basf Coatings Japan Ltd., Yokohama Phosphonat-haltiges Zweikomponenten-Lacksystem, dessen Herstellung und Verwendung
JP5451093B2 (ja) 2009-01-30 2014-03-26 キヤノン株式会社 シート搬送装置及び画像形成装置

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US3965400A (en) * 1975-02-24 1976-06-22 Xerox Corporation Corona generating device with improved built-in cleaning mechanism
JPS54146635A (en) * 1978-05-09 1979-11-16 Canon Inc Corona discharge instrument
JPS58173757A (ja) * 1982-04-07 1983-10-12 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
JPS58186761A (ja) * 1982-04-26 1983-10-31 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd コロトロン装置
JPS59111656A (ja) * 1982-12-17 1984-06-27 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 複写機のコロトロンワイヤ−清掃装置
US4470689A (en) * 1981-06-02 1984-09-11 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus and process unit
JPS60249169A (ja) * 1984-05-24 1985-12-09 Canon Inc コロナ放電器のクリ−ニング装置
US4566777A (en) * 1982-08-23 1986-01-28 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Process kit for image forming apparatus
JPS61117579A (ja) * 1984-11-14 1986-06-04 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd コロナ放電器
US4734580A (en) * 1986-06-16 1988-03-29 The Simco Company, Inc. Built-in ionizing electrode cleaning apparatus
JPH0668557A (ja) * 1992-08-21 1994-03-11 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd テープ移送装置
JPH06139080A (ja) * 1992-10-27 1994-05-20 Shikoku Nippon Denki Software Kk イベント回覧処理方式

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JPS6068557U (ja) * 1983-10-17 1985-05-15 キヤノン株式会社 放電器の清掃装置

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US3891846A (en) * 1972-01-18 1975-06-24 Canon Kk Corona discharger cleaning apparatus
US3965400A (en) * 1975-02-24 1976-06-22 Xerox Corporation Corona generating device with improved built-in cleaning mechanism
JPS54146635A (en) * 1978-05-09 1979-11-16 Canon Inc Corona discharge instrument
US4470689A (en) * 1981-06-02 1984-09-11 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus and process unit
JPS58173757A (ja) * 1982-04-07 1983-10-12 Canon Inc 画像形成装置
JPS58186761A (ja) * 1982-04-26 1983-10-31 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd コロトロン装置
US4566777A (en) * 1982-08-23 1986-01-28 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Process kit for image forming apparatus
JPS59111656A (ja) * 1982-12-17 1984-06-27 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd 複写機のコロトロンワイヤ−清掃装置
JPS60249169A (ja) * 1984-05-24 1985-12-09 Canon Inc コロナ放電器のクリ−ニング装置
JPS61117579A (ja) * 1984-11-14 1986-06-04 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd コロナ放電器
US4734580A (en) * 1986-06-16 1988-03-29 The Simco Company, Inc. Built-in ionizing electrode cleaning apparatus
JPH0668557A (ja) * 1992-08-21 1994-03-11 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd テープ移送装置
JPH06139080A (ja) * 1992-10-27 1994-05-20 Shikoku Nippon Denki Software Kk イベント回覧処理方式

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5194897A (en) * 1990-11-27 1993-03-16 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus with charge wire cleaners
US5250991A (en) * 1991-05-24 1993-10-05 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus including cleaning means for cleaning charging means
US5563692A (en) * 1992-12-10 1996-10-08 Hyundai Electronics Ind. Co., Ltd. Automatic apparatus and method for cleaning a charge line
US5485255A (en) * 1994-08-31 1996-01-16 Eastman Kodak Company Automatic cleaning mechanism for a corona charger using cleaning pad
US5697019A (en) * 1994-12-27 1997-12-09 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Cleaning device of corona charging unit in image forming apparatus
US20040013443A1 (en) * 2000-11-08 2004-01-22 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Image forming device
US20070065172A1 (en) * 2005-09-16 2007-03-22 Xerox Corporation Cleaning system for removing dendrites from a charging device in a xerographic printer
US7493060B2 (en) * 2005-09-16 2009-02-17 Xerox Corporation Cleaning system for removing dendrites from a charging device in a xerographic printer
US20080199208A1 (en) * 2007-01-24 2008-08-21 Schlitz Daniel J Method and device to prevent dust agglomeration on corona electrodes
US7822355B2 (en) 2007-01-24 2010-10-26 Ventiva, Inc. Method and device to prevent dust agglomeration on corona electrodes
US20120002999A1 (en) * 2010-06-30 2012-01-05 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming device having charging wire cleaning mechanism
CN102314124A (zh) * 2010-06-30 2012-01-11 兄弟工业株式会社 具有充电线清洁机构的图像形成装置
US8676087B2 (en) * 2010-06-30 2014-03-18 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming device having charging wire cleaning mechanism
CN102314124B (zh) * 2010-06-30 2014-07-16 兄弟工业株式会社 具有充电线清洁机构的图像形成装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR910003928B1 (ko) 1991-06-17
EP0267689A2 (de) 1988-05-18
DE3766691D1 (de) 1991-01-24
JPH0760282B2 (ja) 1995-06-28
KR880005493A (ko) 1988-06-29
EP0267689A3 (en) 1988-11-02
JPS63226673A (ja) 1988-09-21
EP0267689B1 (de) 1990-12-12

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